If there is one note that defines high perfumery, it is jasmine. Not the jasmine you smell in your neighbor’s garden—that is already beautiful enough—but the absolute jasmine, the most concentrated and complex extraction of this flower, a material that has shaped some of the greatest fragrances in history.
Two jasmines that define perfumery
In perfumery, two main varieties of jasmine are used, each with very different characteristics:
- Jasminum grandiflorum (Grasse/Spanish jasmine): mainly cultivated in Grasse (France), India, and Egypt. Floral, fruity, and slightly green. Softer and more accessible.
- Jasminum sambac (sambac jasmine/Arabic): intense, exotic, with almost animalic notes. A key player in Middle Eastern perfumery and many Western orientals.
Why jasmine is so special
Jasmine has something few flowers have: a slightly animalic component. Indole—a molecule naturally present in jasmine—is also one of the molecules found in human sweat. In small amounts, indole makes jasmine sensual and alive, like warm skin. In large amounts, it can be repulsive. The perfumer’s art lies in knowing how much to use.
Jasmine in the great classics
Chanel N°5 without jasmine would not be N°5. Jean Patou’s Joy (known as “the most expensive fragrance in the world” for decades) is basically a duet of rose and jasmine. Dior’s Poison, Piguet’s Fracas, Dior’s J’adore: all have jasmine as their backbone.
The price of jasmine
Grasse absolute jasmine is one of the most expensive ingredients in perfumery—it can cost more than €10,000 per kilo. The flowers must be handpicked at dawn, when they contain the most essential oil. One kilo of absolute jasmine requires more than 8 million flowers. That is why fragrances that use it generously are priced high—or, in the case of divain, we use high-quality raw materials and EDP concentration so the result is comparable at a fraction of the price.
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